The Sun, Oct. 20, 2012

Brit boffins make petrol from air and water

Idea ... AFS worker

By CHRIS POLLARD

Published: 19 hrs ago

45

A UK firm has created petrol from air and water in a move that could help to solve the energy crisis.

The remarkable fuel could also tackle global warming by removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

It can be used in existing cars without converting the engines.

Air Fuel Synthesis has already made five litres at a small refinery — proving the new technology works. The firm plans to make five tons a day if it can build a commercial-scale plant.

Bosses at AFS, based in Stockton-on-Tees, Teesside, spent two years developing the process.

AFS chief executive ... Peter Harrison

It works by filtering carbon dioxide, a major greenhouse gas, from the air. Hydrogen is taken from water vapour using electrical hydrolysis — and the two are combined in a fuel reactor to produce petrol. Chief executive Peter Harrison, 58, said: “So far we’ve invested £1million.

“We expect to be in production by 2015. It’s a very clean petrol.”

Wind or tidal energy could be used to make the process even greener.

The Institution of Mechanical Engineers said the technology could be a “game-changer” to tackle climate change.

Chief executive Stephen Tetlow called it “truly groundbreaking”, saying: “It has the potential to become a great British success story.”

Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4599281/Brit-boffins-make-petrol-from-air-and-water.html#ixzz29rprfJnF